The Biter Daemon was pounding shifted to wolf form, but Daemon didn’t care. Wolf form, human form, this guy was dying tonight. Behind Daemon, he could hear his pack tearing Enforcers apart. The Allegiance pack was going to make quick work of the Biters. Absently, Daemon wondered where the rest of the Biters were and when Bragga was going to make an appearance. For the first time, a sense of unease settled over him. Pummeling the Biter, Daemon had a minute to do some adding, and the math wasn’t mathing. Narae had said that, including the pack females, the Biters were twenty in total. And while there were females here now, there weren’t twenty Biters. The Alpha was absent too.
Where the fuck is Bragga?
Realizing he was punching a limp body, Daemon stopped and tossed the Biter’s body aside, gaze searching the battle for Bragga. He caught sight of a Biter Enforcer, standing immobile in front of the Biter females. At first, Daemon thought he was protecting the women. He should have known better. Hirostepped up beside Daemon. Behind them, the Allegiant Enforcers were finishing off the last of the Biters who’d stepped into the fray. The Biter Enforcer Daemon and Hiro were glaring at roughly grabbed one of the women, shoving her toward them as he bellowed, “Attack them! All of you useless bitches! Do your duty!”
The female stumbled forward and crashed into Hiro’s chest. Stunned, Hiro looked from the woman to the Biter, then back down to where she was staring up at him in absolute horror.
“H-hi,” Hiro stammered, then offered her a smile. “Uhhhh, do…do you wanna join our pack?”
The woman simply blinked up at Hiro without responding.
Hiro shrugged and smiled. “Ok.” Then he bent down and bit the woman on the neck, marking her as his.
Behind Daemon, Cyrus thundered, “Jesus fucking Christ! Again?”
Daemon barked out a laugh and tossed Hiro a thumbs-up. “Atta boy!” Then his gaze sliced to the other five females, his expression turning sheepish. “Sorry. He glanced at Hiro. It’s notalways like that. But he means that mark and hewillhonor it. And if any of you want to join our pack, you’re welcome. Jury and Narae are already with us. They want to be here. They had the choice, and they chose us. And we’re grateful for them.”
The women looked at each other in shock and indecision.
One female stepped forward, but the Biter Enforcer grabbed her arm and jerked her backward so hard she fell on her ass. That pissed Daemon off, his expression morphing into fury as he rolled his neck on his shoulders. “Enough of you. Let’s go, fucker.”
A moment of reluctance flashed on the Biter Enforcer’s face before he rushed Daemon. A stupid mistake. With a quick side-step, Daemon caught the charging Enforcer and hooked his neck in the crook of his arm before spinning and jerking hard, breaking his neck. Daemon dropped the limp body and then turned back to the females. “Again, it’s your choice. You’re free to walk now or come with us. We’ll protect you. We can take care of you.”
One of the women stepped forward and glanced from Daemon to Hiro. “D-do we have to mate with one of your men to join?”
Daemon shook his head. “Absolutely not. You won’t be forced to do anything against your will.”
The same woman looked at Hiro, who was still holding the female he’d marked.
Daemon followed her gaze, his face flushing with the reminder that he’d done the exact same thing to Narae. “I know how that looks.”
Hiro had the decency to look repentant before admitting low on a sheepish tone, “My wolf thought it was the best way to protect her.”
Unsure how to explain it away, Daemon offered, “There are worse things than being mated to a faithful and protective male who’d go to the ends of the Earth to ensure her happiness.”
The woman who’d stepped forward acquiesced. “If Jury and Narae feel safe here, that’s good enough for me. I’d like to stay.”
Behind her, the other four females stepped forward one by one. “Me too.” “And me.”
“Great.” But Daemon didn’t look like he was happy in the least. He looked tense and preoccupied. “Ladies, do any of you know where we can find Bragga and the rest of his Biters?”
The woman in the front spoke first. “I heard them say that this was a distraction.” She motioned toward the lifeless Biter bodies on the ground. “Though I don’t think he expected it to be over so quickly.” She looked up and held Daemon’s gaze. “Bragga knew your Alpha wouldn’t allow Narae or Jury to be near the battle. He’s looking for them.”
Daemon spun and glared in the direction of the manor. It took all of one second for Demon to explode from him, and then he was on the move.
Chapter 31
Thrall and Narae were having an impossible time trying to convince Jury that she needed to be secured in the pack’s panic room. Narae knew it was because Jury didn’t want to appear weak, but it was just the three of them in the manor. There was no shame in it.
Standing at the door with it slightly cracked open, Jury breathed worriedly as she peeked out, “Storms coming.”
Narae could hear the wind picking up, the occasional clap of distant thunder inching closer.
“Jury,” Thrall pleaded. “You’d be doing me a favor.” Thrall shot Narae a conspiratory look. “If I could get you safely secured, then I could spend more energy concentrating on the house and the surrounding perimeter. No offense, but worrying about you is a distraction. You’re already getting me in trouble.” He gestured toward the door. “Koe said to keep that closed.”
Ignoring the last, Jury snapped, “And what about Narae? She’s not a distraction?”
“I’ll go in the panic room with you,” Narae lied, knowing neither Jury nor Thrall would be able to scent any deceit.
